


Don't Say It

by VisionaryGalaxy



Series: A Thousand Futures of Me and You [66]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Banter, Boys In Love, Domestic Fluff, Don't copy to another site, Drabble, Fluff, M/M, No Angst, Short & Sweet, Sick Character, Sick Fic, Sick Stephen Strange, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-19
Updated: 2019-02-19
Packaged: 2019-10-31 08:45:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17846195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VisionaryGalaxy/pseuds/VisionaryGalaxy
Summary: Stephen is sick and Tony is exasperated.





	Don't Say It

**Author's Note:**

> Ah something normal lol.

   Tony glanced up from his array of blue prints suspiciously for the eight time in the past ten minutes. He was currently working on his new project and utilizing the long island of the kitchen while Stephen was in the living room, roaming from shelf to shelf. The open floor plan gave Tony an unmitigated view of Stephen’s actions, which had been increasingly…unusual.

   The man stifled a sneeze like cough into his elbow for the umpteenth time, immediately making sanitizer appear out of thin air and wiping his perfectly clean hands. As if that wasn’t enough of a clue, he had also caught Stephen summoning tissue after tissue to dab at his red nose and to wipe at his watering eyes. Besides that, even from this distance Tony could see he was pale, and he’d wager if he pressed a hand to his head, he’d find a fever.

   The final and most telling clue was the Cloak. It wasn’t latched onto his shoulders as usual, instead it hovered anxiously around him, occasionally curling around his wrist and attempting to guide the errant sorcerer toward the couch only to be roughly swatted away.

   It was amusing for the first five minutes, but now even Tony was staring at the man in disbelief. He watched as he studiously went from book to book, discarding the less then useful ones. Tony knew the man was trying to identify a recent disturbance in the…force? No, obviously Stephen didn’t call it that, but Tony couldn’t recall for the life of him what it was, still, he’d think Stephen would know enough to slow down…considering.

   He finally had to stop biting his tongue, when after the Cloak had once again been swatted at, it turned toward him with a clear air of offence. It lifted one corner and pointed first at Tony, then jabbed at Stephen’s back in a clear, ‘ _well? Do something!_ ’

   With a sigh, Tony cleared his throat, opened his mouth-

   “Don’t say it,” Stephen called out suddenly, back still to him, flipping through a book.

   Tony winced at the dry croak of his voice, “you don’t even know-”

   “I’m sick. Yes, I’m aware, I do have a doctorate you know.”

   Tony huffed in exasperation, “right, so don’t you think you should…I don’t know, _take a break_.”

   The book in Stephen’s hand snapped shut and he turned toward him, glaring. Note to self, Tony thought, Stephen was an angry sick person, “no, I _don’t_ think so. I’m suffering from the common cold to which there is no cure. You can only treat the symptoms and at the moment I am not dying but a boat load of people might if I don’t find this damn creature.”

   Tony pursed his lips, couldn’t help himself, “you know, your kind of cute when you’re angry.”

   “ _You’re insufferable_.”

   He really couldn’t help it this time, a laugh bursting from his lips at his words. He only realized his mistake a moment later when the Cloak imitated a face palm.

   Stephen’s gaze went cold, “get out.”

   Usually that tone would stop Tony dead, the seriousness of it enough to make his heart freeze and his brain to race, but this time the effect was ruined by the hard sneeze that came right after, followed by a short rough coughing fit.

   This time, however, when he coughed hard enough to gag Tony winced in sympathy. When Stephen lifted his head there was a distinct flush to his cheeks, his forehead and Tony decided enough was enough.

   “Sit down,” he said firmly.

   Stephen’s eyes narrowed again but before he could speak Tony raised a threatening finger, “don’t think I won’t make the Cloak tie you up and restrain you. It will be more then happy to help and we both know you magic won’t work on it.”

   Stephen’s jaw clenched this time while the Cloak seemed to puff up in an attempt at intimidation. Stephen stared at it disdainfully for a moment before turning on his heel and sitting on the couch with a huff.

   “Good,” Tony offered cheerfully. “Now stay there.”

   He turned back to the kitchen, cast his eyes around the small area trying to come up with something to sooth his lover. Stephen wasn’t a fan of painkillers since the surgery, something Tony understood intimately but there had to be something to help his cough, which in turn should help with the headache.

   His eyes landed on the cannisters lined up against the wall on the counter, ah tea. Perfect. He immediately set about making it, putting the water on to boil. While it did that, Tony wet a cool dishrag under the tap and when he faced the living room again, the sight made his heart melt.

   Stephen had sunk down into a proper laying position, resting on the head rest while the rest of his long body curled up a little. Tony walked over and heard the quiet sniffling that his lover seemed to be trying to hide.

   “Stephen?” the man looked up at him with glassy eyes, “do you feel achy or-”

   “Tony,” he grumbled. “I’m a doctor. I’m fine, just the common cold.”

   Tony laid the wet rag on his forehead and watched in satisfaction as the man relaxed instantly with a sigh, “care to explain why as a doctor, you are such shit at taking care of yourself?”

   “Part of the job description,” the man muttered.

   It was Tony’s turn to sigh, but this time in exasperation. Just then the he heard the kettle singing and went to make the man some tea. As he focused on doing just that Tony couldn’t help but glance over his shoulder occasionally, seeing the man’s eyes now closed and his expression slowly morphing into something like content.

   He brought the steaming tea over and carefully set it on the coffee table. Stephen cracked an eye open and Tony didn’t miss the spark of interest there. It was too hot to drink just yet but soon, very very soon.

   “Stephen, do you think you could summon a whole box of Kleenex? Probably easier then constantly summoning individual ones.”

   A moment past then one popped into existence on his stomach. Tony watched with rapt attention as the man began to slip into unconsciousness, his eyes growing steadily fuzzier.

   “creature…” he murmured suddenly.

   “Shh,” Tony soothed, running a hand through his hair and grinning when he leaned into the touch. “I called Wong after the first cough. He’s taking care of it.” He confided.

   Stephen just hummed and Tony continued to pet him.

   Another long minute passed, and Tony used the edge of the cloth to wipe at his face a little, now sitting comfortably on the floor next to the couch.

   “Don’t say it,” Stephen mumbled.

   Tony pressed his lips into a thin line, willing himself not to say I told you so. It proved easier then he thought as Stephen’s breathing finally evened out, his chest rising and falling slowly. Satisfaction and warmth welled up inside him at the sight before him. It was nice to take care of Stephen like this since the man rarely, if ever allowed it.

   Leaning in he pressed a kiss to Stephen’s cheek, retrieved his blueprints and resettled himself on the floor by Stephen’s side.

**Author's Note:**

> Finally did Stephen :)  
> Let me know what you thought!


End file.
